Crate



(No Model.)A

E. E. SPENCER.

CRATE.

Patented May 2o, 1890.

WTTNESSES- INVENTQR:

w: ummm Pneus co., monrumo., msmwsm", n. a.

or elastic supports therefor.

, UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

FRANK E.- SPENCER, OFYPENN YAN, NEV YORK.

CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,152, dated May 20,1890. .Application led January 14,'1890. Serial No. 336,874. (No model.)I

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. SPENCER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Penn Yan, in the county of Yates and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Crates, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for sustaining or cushioning fruitpacked in crates; and it consist-s of the novel construction of devicesand parts, substantially as hereinafter fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for sustaining orcushioning packed fruit by the application of movable It is arranged forconnection with old crates as well as crates made specially for thepurpose, so that fruit in its ripe and delicious state can betterwithstand the j arnecessary in transportation, thus eifecting an economyin its ready adaptation to any crate and in the quality of the fruitafter shipment.

In the drawings hereto annexed, which illustrate devices embodying myinvention, Figurel is a sectional view 'of my invention in combinationwith a crate of ordinary construction cut longitudinally on a verticalline through the center of the crate.' Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionalelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a view in detail of the secondarymovable bottom and lid, showing one of the separating-layers in itsproper relative position between them and their connecting mech anismand springs.

I will now describe the construction and arrangement of the parts of myinvention.

Referring tothe drawings, in which like letters of reference denotecorrespondingparts in all the figures, A B C D designate a crate of thekind of construction as frequently heretofore used. Y

E represents a movable secondary bottom of dimensions to be easilyinserted within its crate to carry the fruit P upon it, and which may bemade in various ways; but to have it light and secure good ventilationfor the fruit I make it openly of slats nailed together, crossing eachother at right angles. Secured y to the material made use of.

to the cross-slats F F of this movable bottom are springs G G, whichrest upon and react from the bottom B of the crate. This extra bottoni Eis further provided with a spring hook or clamp'IfI, attached at one endto one of the central slats of said bottom, coiled into one or morerings t', which spring apart when the rod is drawn up for adjustment ofits-hook end proportionally to the distance of the hook from itsattached end at the bottom E. The upper' or free end of said hook isbent to pass over the central cross-slat of the lid K.

.I represents a separating layer or partition similar to the bottom E,to be used alternately with baskets, one above another, in filling thecrate. It is evident that such a layer or partition may be made ofpaper, wood, or other material, and in numerous ways, according Such aone as I have chosen to illustrate, however, is made of wooden slats ofsufiicient-width to retain small fruit in baskets covered by them, andsmall cross-slats rigidly secured to them in -manner similar to thebottom heretofore described. Following the final tier of baskets tofully cover the fruit in them is a secondary cover or lid K, withcrossslats uniting it. One of them issituated to receive the spring-hookII over it through the slot O between the baseslats M N.

In lieu of providing the bottomE with spiral springs G G', resting uponand reacting against the bottom of the crate, other devices for itssupport may be substituted and afIiXed to the crate in some othermanner. I prefer, however, to employ the spiral springs G G', as theyare not so liable to get out of place or broken, and are more convenientin their adaptation to ali kinds of crates.v l

I am aware that crates have been made provided with a series ofclose-fitting internal boxes in contact with each other, carried byafalse bottom cushioned with springs. Such I do not claim; but

VhatI do claim, and wish to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

l. In a crate A B C D, the movable or secondary bottom E, supported bysprings G G and having the rod II attached thereto, in

IOO

combination with layers J, interposed baskets @over K, havim,rseparating-layers J between P, and COVerK,to which the rod l-Iisattached, them, the rod H, Connecting said Cover and substantially asdescribed. bottom, and having suitable mechanism for 2. In combinationwith the crate A B C D, ad j ustmentinrelation to thedistaneebetween 5the false bottom E and eover K, the adjustaits attaching ends,substantially as described. 15

ble rod H, which connects the saine, se )arat- T ing-layers J betweenthem, and springslG G', FRANK E' SPEB CER' seated beneath and supportingthe bottoni E, Witnesses: substantially as described. E. IIORTON,

1o 3. A crate having,r the false bottom E and C. S. BELL.

